BERG : LULU

Radio New Zealand Concert network
Sunday 27th of March 2016 a6 6.04 - 9.45 pm 
Sunday 30th of May 2010 at 3.03 - 7.05 pm

INTRODUCTION
LIBRETTO

2016
BERG: Lulu, an opera in three acts with the libretto adapted by the composer from two plays by Frank Wedekind, Erdgeist (Earth Spirit) and Die Büchse der Pandora (Pandora's Box)
Lulu............................. Marlis Petersen
Countess Geschwit...... Susan Graham
Alwa............................ Daniel Brenna
Painter/
African Prince.............. Paul Groves
Dr Schön/
Jack the Ripper............ Johan Reuter
Animal Trainer/
Acrobat........................ Martin Winkler
Schigolch..................... Franz Grundheber
Wardrobe Mistress/
Schoolboy/Page........... Elizabeth DeShong
Prince/Manservant/
Marquis........................ Alan Oke
Theatre Manager/
Banker......................... Julian Close
15 Year-old Girl.......... Ashley Emerson
Her Mother.................. Jane Shaulis
Designer....................... Kathryn Day
Journalist...................... Tyler Duncan
Metropolitan Opera Chorus & Orch/Lothar Koenigs2011
BERG: Lulu, an opera in three acts
Lulu............................................. Marlis Petersen
Countess Geschwitz..................... Anne Sofie von Otter
Alwa........................................... Gary Lehman
Painter......................................... Michael Schade
Animal Trainer/Acrobat............... David Pittsinger
Jack the Ripper........................... James Morris
Wardrobe Mistress/
Schoolboy/Page.......................... Ginger Costa-Jackson
Prince/Manservant/Marquis......... Graham Clark
Schigolch..................................... Gwynne Howell
Theatre Manager/Banker............. James Courtney
Mother........................................ Jane Shaulis
Designer...................................... Edyta Kulczak
Journalist..................................... Joshua Benaim
Servant........................................ LeRoy Lehr
Physician/Professor...................... Mitchell Sendrowitz
Metropolitan Opera Orch/James Levine (replaced by Fabio Luisi)

Lulu (alias the Snake, Eva, Nelly, Mignon) is a beautiful dancer who has no morals; her various relationships end with death; yet she always has another admirer waiting to rescue her; finally she turns to prostitution; then Jack the Ripper calls, and kills her and her lover, the Countess.

Was ever there a greater tale of woe? But can we feel sympathy for this wretched waif picked up from the streets? She was married serially to a rich medical doctor (who dies of a heart attack), a sensitive painter-artist (who commits suicide in desperation),  a newspaper magnate (who is gunned down by her); she then involves herself with his son Alwa; an old beggar alleged to be her father; an acrobat; a schoolboy; and Countess Geschwitz (who loves her devotedly to the end).

The recording I have of LULU features Anja Silja (I first encountered her as Senta in The Flying Dutchman in a broadcast from Bayreuth; she moved in with Wieland Wagner, and then he died; next a period with Christoph von Dohnànyi, who is the conductor of this Vienna performance from 1976). It only has two of the three acts, with orchestral music he wrote for a suite filling in for Act 3; Alban Berg's wife would not release his manuscript of the final act, but after she passed away the work was completed; and this is the version offered here by the New York Metropera.

I played the three black discs again today; the twelve-tone music flows, has chords with interesting combinations of instruments, but (in stark contrast to the three operas I have heard this week: Lohengrin, Tristan, and Don Giovanni) I don't find myself humming or whistling any tunes. I also listened to the suite (half an hour long, London Symphony, Claudio Abbado), but I never recognize any of it, and say: That's Lulu, or It's a Lulu. If my esteemed Claudio (who also conducted the Lohengrin) likes it, it must be all right. At least it's not minimalist! (Steve Reich and Philip Glass are each a good mensch, I know, but they are also con-artists when they compose music.)